2. That Colombia as a civilized country, should preserve the best understanding with the other countries, decrees: Sole article. Abrogates decree No. 37 of 1898, by which the relations between Colombia and the Kingdom of Italy were declared broken. (Mr. Snyder reports that the Chapinero line, Bogotá City Railway Company, an American corporation of New York City, was forcibly seized by the authorities of the Department of Cundinamarca on Christmas. Papers will be sent by next mail. Awaiting instructions.) Mr. Adee to Mr. Snyder. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 31, 1903. (Mr. Adee, referring to Mr. Snyder's telegram of the 26th, directs him to bring the matter of protecting the rights of this American corporation to the attention of the minister of foreign affairs.) Mr. Snyder to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] AMERICAN LEGATION, Bogotá, January 20, 1904. (Received January 22, 1904, 9.45 p. m.) (Mr. Snyder reports that the difficulty between the street railway company and the National Government has been satisfactorily arranged to-day through this legation. Requests that the Bogotá City Railway Company, 55 Liberty street, New York city, be informed.) No. 295.] Mr. Snyder to Mr. Hay. AMERICAN LEGATION, SIR: Referring to my telegrams of December 26, 1903, and January 20, 1904, in reference to the Bogotá City Railway Company, I have the honor to inform you that papers in this matter were not forwarded to the Department for the reason that before the next mail day prospects presented themselves for a peaceful settlement of the difficulty, and I preferred to be able to so inform the Department rather than forward papers in what promised to be another disagreeable claim. The Bogotá City Railway Company, which enjoys the disadvantage of existing under two separate concessions, one from the city and one from the Department of Cundinamarca, had been annoyed for some time by petty actions of the departmental authorities, and finally a decree was published by the governor ordering the company to comply with certain conditions. This was refused by the company on the grounds that said decree was contrary to the law and the concession of the company, with the result that on December 25, 1903, the Chapinero line was seized by the authorities. After trying to operate the line themselves for about three days, they gave up the attempt and endeavored to pass the line back to the company, which refused to accept it, and thus matters stood for nearly a month. Upon receipt of Department's instructions of December 31, 1903, in answer to my telegram of December 26, 1903, I presented the matter to the minister for foreign affairs, who, with the minister of Government, both expressed an earnest desire to see the matter amicably settled in fairness to all parties. Upon January 17 last I received a verbal request from the vicepresident asking me to use my good offices with the governor, and saying he would do the same with the company, so as to have the matter arranged at once, as the public as well as the interested parties were sufferng great inconveniences as a result of the suspended service. On the day following, with full powers to represent the company, I met the secretary of the governor in the office of the minister of Government, and after a conference lasting two days an agreement seemed no nearer than at the beginning until the minister of the Government informed the secretary that he must accept the compromise, which he, the minister of Government, had helped to draw up, and which he considered fair to all parties, or he would so order its acceptance in a decree. After some further talk it was accepted by the governor, approved by the vice-president, and a legislative decree issued making it a law. Thus, as reported in my telegram of January 20, 1904. this difficulty and others pending between the company and the Government were settled satisfactorily, at least for the present, to all parties. concerned. I must add here that in the whole affair an earnest desire for a friendly settlement was evinced by all the authorities of the National Government connected with the case, and the only trouble was with the departmental authorities. I am, etc., ALBAN G. SNYDER. SIR: President Reyes recently sent a message to Congress outlining the policy to be pursued, or which he desired to pursue for the next two years. I have the honor to inclose herewith copy and translation of that part relating to the foreign affairs of Colombia which I thought might be of interest to the Department. I am, etc., ALBAN G. SNYDER. [Inclosure.] Presidential message. FOREIGN RELATIONS. The administration proposes to cultivate them in the best manner possible with the countries of Europe and America. Our situation regarding Panama requires extreme prudence and discretion, as we will be irresistibly brought into antagonism with the United States, to whom we owe the unjustifiable despotism to which we have been made victims. It is possible that the course of events in the interior of the United States as well as on the Isthmus of Panama may facilitate the beginning of negotiations which may satisfy our dignity and preserve our interests. I think it would be opportune for Congress to legislate on the matter, fixing general terms, but leaving to that time sufficient latitude to the executive power in order to cover the variety of incidents which may present themselves, it being well understood that whatever negotiation is arranged ought to be submitted to Congress in extraordinary sessions if necessary. Perhaps this may be the most painful matter in our immediate future; to solve this requires a considerable degree of prudence and justice so as to appreciate the true situation and how far we would be justified in hunting a definite solution to the ambiguity which to-day exists, and which ought not to be put off indefinitely. The legations which the Government ought now to sustain will be: One in Europe, one in the United States, Mexico, Cuba, and Central America, and another in South America, with the necessary secretaries so that they may be left in these as chargés d'affaires in the capitals. In the United States a legation will be opened when the defense of our interests demands it. These legations ought to be sufficiently paid and endowed with the expenses of representation which the dignity and decorum of the country requires. The consulates we may have in order to manage the large sums in gold resulting from the increased tax on invoices ought to be better paid than now in order that they may be properly served. To regulate the service of consuls so that those employed may contribute, in addition to the studies and reviews which they will remit periodically, the industrial and economical development of the country. The Government will work with great interests in order to settle the boundary questions pending with Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil, and in fixing definitely the frontiers. For this it needs competent diplomatic agents and the necessary resources. CUBA. TREATY OF AMITY, COMMERCE, AND NAVIGATION BETWEEN CUBA AND ITALY. Mr. Sleeper to Mr. Hay. No. 800.] AMERICAN LEGATION, Habana, January 9, 1904. SIR: I have the honor to inform the Department that a treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation between the Republic of Cuba and the Kingdom of Italy was signed at the foreign office on the 29th ultimo by the Cuban secretary of state and justice, Mr. Carlos de Zaldo, and the minister resident of Italy, Mr. Oreste Savina. A copy of the treaty as published in La Discusión, the semiofficial organ of the government, and a translation thereof are herewith inclosed. His Excellency the President of the Republic of Cuba and His Majesty the King of Italy, being desirous to preserve and vigorize the friendly relations and promote commercial traffic between the two countries, have decided to enter into a treaty of amity, navigation, and commerce, and appointed as their plenipotentiaries: His Excellency the President of the Republic of Cuba, Carlos Zaldo, secretary of state and justice; and His Majesty the King of Italy, Oreste Savina, gentleman of the Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus, and of the Crown of Italy. etc., and his minister resident near the Republic of Cuba, who, after having communicated to each other their full powers, found to be in good and due form, have agreed upon the following articles: ARTICLE I. There shall be perfect peace and sincere friendship between the Republic of Cuba and the Kingdom of Italy. The high contracting parties shall use their greatest efforts to have this friendship and good harmony maintained constantly and perpetually between the two nations, and between their respective citizens as well, without exception of person or place. ARTICLE II. The contracting parties agree that everything relative to commerce and navigation, any privilege, favor, or immunity of every nature whatsoever which either of the contracting parties now grant or may grant in the future to subjects or citizens of any other state, shall be immediately and unconditionally granted the citizens of the other contracting party, the intention being that the commerce and navigation of each country shall be placed by the other, in every respect, on the basis of the most favored nation. ARTICLE III. The products and manufactures of the Republic of Cuba that may be imported into Italy, and Italian products and manufactures that may be imported into the Republic of Cuba, whether for consumption, storing, reexportation, or in transit, shall receive equal treatment, and particularly shall they not be subject to other or higher fees, general, municipal, or local, than the products, manufactures, and merchandise of a third nation more favored in this respect. No other or higher fees in the Kingdom of Italy shall be imposed on any merchandise exported to the Republic of Cuba, nor in the Republic of Cuba on any merchandise exported to the Kingdom of Italy, than those imposed on similar articles exported to a country that may be more favored in this respect. Neither of the contracting parties shall establish, with respect to the other, prohibitions on importation, exportation, reexportation, or transit that are not applicable under like circumstances to a third country which is more favored in this respect. However, this shall not affect the special legislation of each of the two countries with respect to articles the transit of which shall or may be prohibited; and the high contracting parties reserve the right to subject to special authorizations the transit of arms and munitions of war. In all that refers to local taxes, customs, formalities, brokerage, models or samples imported by traveling agents, and everything relative to commerce, Cuban citizens in Italy and Italian citizens in Cuba shall enjoy the most-favorednation treatment. There shall be no importation or exportation prohibitions or restrictions on the reciprocal trade of the two countries unless the same is applied equally to all other nations, but this shall not exclude such prohibitions or restrictions for sanitary reasons or to prevent the propagation of animal diseases or the loss of crops or in the event of war. ARTICLE IV. There shall be reciprocally full and complete liberty of commerce and navigation for the citizens and ships of the high contracting parties, in the cities, ports, rivers, or places of either of the two countries and their possessions, entrance into which is now permitted, or may be permitted in the future, to the subjects or ships of any other foreign country. Cubans in Italy and Italians in Cuba may reciprocally enter, travel, or reside with all liberty in any part of the territory and possessions of the respective countries (however, this shall not affect the right to expel pernicious foreigners, which both Governments reserve), and they shall enjoy to this end, with respect to their persons and properties, the same protection and security as the citizens of the two countries. They may, throughout the whole of the two territories, carry on industries. engage in trade-retail or wholesale-lease or own buildings, warehouses, stores, or lands necessary to them; they may transport merchandise and money and receive shipments both from the interior and exterior, paying the taxes and licenses established by existing law with respect to the citizens of the two countries. They shall be equally free to make sales and purchases, to stipulate and fix the price of their merchandise, effects, and articles of any class, imported or national, irrespective of whether they sell them in the interior or export them: Provided, That they shall obey the laws and regulations of the country. They may personally carry on and manage their business affairs, be represented or assisted by duly authorized persons either in the sale or purchase of their properties, effects, or merchandise, in dealings with the customs service, or in the loading, unloading, or sailing of their vessels. Finally, they shall not be subject to other charges, taxes, fees, or imposts than those to which the citizens of the respective countries are subject. The citizens of each of the high contracting parties shall have in the territory of the other the same rights as the citizens thereof with respect to patents of inventions, brands, trade-marks, and drawings: Provided, That they comply with the requirements of the law. With respect to ownership rights of works of literature and art the citizens of each of the high contracting parties shall enjoy reciprocally in the territory of the other the treatment given the most favored nation. |